When visiting the ancient capital of Hue, you should try clam rice (Com Hen) at least once. This dish offers a delicate yet incredibly rich flavor experience.
Clam rice is a combination of cold rice mixed with stir-fried clams, seasoned with oil and spices. It also features a blend of clam broth, fermented shrimp paste, banana leaves, pennywort, aromatic herbs, bean sprouts, and crispy pork skin. You can even prepare this dish at home using the authentic recipe shared in this article!
Table of Contents
Hue Clam Rice – a long-standing royal dish every Tet holiday
Hue Clam Rice (Com Hen) has become one of the “hard to resist” delicacies. Coming to the ancient capital, you should at least once taste mussel rice. This is a dish that gives diners a feeling of both frugal and extremely rich. with a large number of tourists. Not only special in taste but also the ingredients are fresh and delicious. It would be a big omission if coming to Hue you have not tasted this specialty.
Origin of Hue Clam Rice
According to the ancients, the origin of mussel rice dates back more than 200 years. One day, the family of a woman surnamed Huynh could not catch shrimp or fish, so they had to eat cold rice with mussels. Because of its special taste, since then, this dish has become popular throughout the Hen dune and many people in Hue.
During the reign of King Thanh Thai, Mrs. Nguyen Thi Thep came to rake mussels to the king at Hen dune. At this time, the king established the name of Hen ward and enjoyed Hen rice. Since then, mussel rice has become a royal item every Tet holiday.
How to enjoy Hue mussel rice
Mussel rice has made many tourists eat once and remember forever because of its cool, spicy taste. However, if you do not know how to enjoy, this dish will become fishy and lose its rich flavor. Therefore, you should separate the soup and rice into each bowl to taste the full taste of this Hue specialty dish .
In addition to mussel rice, the ancient capital also has many delicious dishes to satisfy diners. Believe that each time you taste it, you discover a new taste. At the same time, you will be satisfied with your hunger and recharge for an exciting trip.
If you are looking for transportation in Hue, DanangPrivateCar.com’s private car service with a driver in Hue can help you with that. With a team of professional, English-speaking drivers, door-to-door pickup service, and a fleet of new, modern vehicles, you will have a safe and comfortable journey. If you are in Da Nang or Hoi An, you can also book a private car service from Da Nang to Hue or a day trip from Da Nang to Hue.
How to make Hue mussel rice with authentic taste of the ancient capital
If you cannot travel to Hue during this time, you can still enjoy mussel rice. What could be better than preparing your own ingredients, going to the kitchen to cook according to the “standard” recipe below? You will no longer feel “craving” but will be satisfied immediately!
Ingredients to prepare Hue mussel rice
Ingredients for making Hue mussel rice include the following:
- Ingredients: 4kg fresh mussels, 100g dried pork skin, 4 fruits of sour thistle, 2 dried onions, distilled chili, 900g plain rice, 300g peanuts, 2 branches of ginger;
- Spices: sugar, salt, fish sauce, monosodium glutamate, cooking oil, seasoning seeds, Hue fish sauce;
- Raw vegetables: bananas, banana flowers, water spinach, lettuce, bean sprouts, chili peppers, herbs;
- Utensils: stove, pan, bowl…
Hue mussel rice processing steps
How to make mussel rice in Hue simple with 5 detailed steps below. Just follow the instructions, you have a delicious “made by me” dish right at home.
Step 1: Cook plain rice
For ordinary rice, you pick up the grit, wash about 3 times with water to clean it. At the same time, you proceed to cook as usual with just the right amount of water. After the rice is cooked, turn it up and let it cool.
Step 2: Prepare ingredients
Preliminary processing of herbs, peanuts, pork skin
- Peel the mint, wash it, cut it diagonally, mix it with salt to make the water. Gently squeeze to reduce saltiness, then blanch in boiling water, drain and drain.
- Wash star fruit, cut into thin slices.
- Thinly slice the banana and banana flower, soak in cold water with lemon juice to avoid darkening.
- Peel the dried onion, scrape the ginger, both thinly slice.
- The herbs pick up dead leaves, remove the root, wash and drain. Water spinach soaked in dilute salt water, chopped.
- Roast peanuts with cooking oil until fragrant and golden.
- Cut pork skin into bite-sized pieces, deep-fry, take out and drain the oil.
Preliminary processing of mussels
- After buying mussels, you need to wash them, remove the dead ones and put them in the boiling pot. When mussels open their mouths, turn off the heat, drain the water and wait for it to settle. Next, treat the mussels in a bowl of cold water to get their flesh.
Step 3: Stir-fry mussels and broth for mussel rice
- You marinate mussel meat with fish sauce for flavor. Next, you fry the fragrant onions and then add the mussels and stir-fry quickly so that the meat does not shrink. Add enough seasoning including fish sauce, monosodium glutamate, pepper and scoop out into a separate bowl.
- Use boiled mussel juice with 2 tablespoons of Hue fish sauce. You add 2 teaspoons of seasoning, add sliced ginger, keep hot on the stove to make broth.
Step 4: Stir-fry fish sauce
- Fry garlic and fragrant chili with 2 tablespoons of cooking oil and 2 tablespoons of Hue fish sauce. Continue to add 2 tablespoons of mussel broth, 1 tablespoon of sugar. You just need to stir well, bring to a boil and you’ve finished the job of sautéing fish sauce.
Step 5: Mix well and enjoy
- After completing the above steps, you can enjoy Hue mussel rice. Put the rice in a bowl, add raw vegetables, pork skin, fried mussels, roasted peanuts, and fish sauce. Do not forget to mix well to eat a little of each and feel the delicious dishes made by yourself. Serve with hot broth and add lemon or chili pepper if you like.
Top 5 delicious mussel rice restaurants in Hue must try
In order to meet the needs of enjoying mussel rice in Hue, many rice shops were born. So, coming to the ancient capital, you do not have to wonder where to go because the top 5 addresses below will be specific suggestions for you!
Hue mussel rice – Hoa Dong mussel rice is more than 30 years old
Referring to delicious restaurants in Hue, it is impossible to ignore Hoa Dong mussel rice. This place has been around for more than 30 years with a moderately large space, a super nice selfie spot. At the same time, delicious and affordable food has attracted a large number of visitors.
- Address: 64 Kiet 7 Ung Binh, Hue city.
- Opening hours: 07:00 – 22:00.
- Reference price: 7,000 – 10,000 VND/bowl.
Dap Da mussel rice attracts young customers
The famous restaurant in Hue cannot ignore Dap Da mussel rice. Although the restaurant is small, it offers delicious and nutritious dishes. This place also ensures good standards on food hygiene and safety, ensuring the health of customers.
- Address: 01 Han Mac Tu, Vi Da, Hue City.
- Opening hours: 06:00 – 21:00.
- Reference price: 10,000 – 20,000 VND/bowl.
Mussel rice – Lanh mussel vermicelli
Coming to Lanh vermicelli noodle shop, you will not have to wonder what to eat in Hue. There is a mussel rice dish prepared according to its own recipe, bringing a special delicious taste. At that time, wherever you eat, you will feel the sweetness and sweetness to your throat.
- Address: 38 Ngo Gia Tu, Hue City.
- Opening hours: 06:00 – 11:00.
- Reference price: 08,000 – 10,000 VND/bowl.
The popular Hue Ba Cam mussel rice is always crowded
In addition to the mussel rice shops suggested above, you can go to Ba Cam’s mussel rice restaurant for only 10,000 VND / bowl. The dish is full of rice, mussels, herbs, onions, peanuts, spicy and spicy. Because the food here is extremely good, the restaurant is always crowded with customers, even you have to wait to enjoy. Therefore, if you intend to visit the shop, hurry up here and choose the best seat for yourself.
- Address: 49 Tung Thien Vuong, Vy Da ward, Hue city.
- Opening hours: 06:00 – 20:00.
- Reference price: 10,000 – 50,000 VND/bowl.
Mussel rice 17 Han Mac Tu with traditional taste
Coming to 17 Han Mac Tu mussel rice is also the time when you find the “true” bowl of mussel rice because all the ingredients are complete without any added or lost flavor. At the same time, the person who makes this delicious dish is also careful every step of the way in preparation and cooking.
- Address: 17 Han Mac Tu, Vy Da ward, Hue city.
- Opening hours: 07:00 – 21:00.
- Reference price: 20,000 – 45,000 VND/bowl.
Hue Clam Rice (Cơm Hến) is definitely a specialty of the ancient capital region that you should try. This dish harmoniously combines carbohydrates, proteins, fats, along with minerals and vitamins. Therefore, when enjoying it, you will experience the delicious flavors and also intake beneficial nutrients for your body. We hope the information above has helped you learn how to prepare this authentic Hue dish.
Comments